Conveyer



CONVEY'ER Filed March 11, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jig] A ATTouE Ys J.MELZER CONVEYER April 13, 1943.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 11, 1941 Patented Apr. 13, 1943 CONVEYERJulius Melzer, Bellaire, N. Y., assignor to American Can Company, NewYork, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 11, 1941,Serial No. 382,821

Claims. (or. 198-434) The present invention relates to conveyers for,

ovens in which freshly coated sheets and the like are dried by heat andcooling treatments and has particular reference to alink chain conveyerhaving a no-sag feature which maintains the coated sheets in parallelpositions. 1 In sheet metal can making practice extremely long ovens areutilized for drying or baking and then cooling lithographed and coatedsheets from i which can .parts are subsequently produced. The

sheets are usually carried through the oven in a substantially verticalposition resting on one edge and leaning against spaced radial prongssecured to the conveyer.

In such long conveyers considerable sagging usually takes place due tothe chain length and also to expansion and contraction and hence thechains vibrate while traveling through the oven; It has been found thatin such conveyers the bottom or supporting edge of a sheet has atendency to slip away from its supporting conveyer prong and thus thesheets sag or bend into a bowed condition. This bowed condition permitsthe sheets to move or shift vertically as they pass through the oven andit has been found that portions of the sheets that rest against theconveyer prongs rub to such an extent that the lithographing or coatingsmears or wears off at this rubbing spot.

The instant invention contemplates overcoming these difficulties byproviding a link chain conveyer in which the links lock against eachother so that sagging of the conveyer is prevented, the links beingformed so that the sheets carried thereby are prevented from shifting sothat the lithographing or coating on the sheets remains unmarred.

An object therefore of the invention is to provision of a link chainconveyer for ovens utilized in drying coated metallic sheets and thelike, the conveyer having substantially vertical prongs against whichthe sheets lean and having links formed to retain the sheets on edge ina substantially vertical position so that they are prevented fromrubbing against the conveyer prongs while being carried through the ovenwith the result that the coating on the sheets is not worn off orotherwise marred.

Another object is the provision of such a conveyer wherein the links areformed to engage and lock against each other in a direction whichprevents sagging of the conveyer as it moves through the oven, the linksbeing pivotally connected and readily movable in an opposite directionto permit of easy travel around driving sprockets.

Another object is the provision of a conveyer of this character whereinthe interlocking nature of the links stiffens and retains the sheetsupporting prongs incorrect parallel positions but permits of easyremoval of any or all prongs whenever desired. Numerous other objectsand advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is betterunderstood from the following description, which, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodimentthereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a link chain conveyerembodying the instant invention, the View illustrating a plurality ofsheets in place in the conveyer, with portions of the conveyer andportions of the sheets broken away;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the conveyer shown in Fig. 1, with partsbroken away;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the conveyer takensubstantially along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view drawn at a reduced scale andshowing the entire shape of one of the conveyer prongs; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the lower portion of one of the conveyerprongs and the chain links immediately connected therewith.

As apreferred embodiment of the instant invention the drawingsillustrate a link chain conveyer ,of the character used in the dryingoven disclosed in United States Patent 1,591,683, issued July 6, 1926,to Carl G. Preis. Such a conveyer includes a pair of spaced and parallelendless k chains H which are transversely connected by a plurality offan shaped substantially parallel prongs l2 against which freshly coatedmetallic sheets A rest for advancement through the oven.

The chains H preferably operate over driving and idler sprockets locatedat the opposite ends of the oven. At spaced intervals along th length ofthe chains, rollers I3 are provided which travel along guide rails Mwhich maintain the conveyer in a straight line path of travel. Such aconveyer in the usual sheet drying oven may be anywhere from sixty toninety feet in length and hence the prevention of wearing and sagging ofthe conveyer is a highly desirable feature.

The chains II are preferably of the roller type 1 and includea pluralityof spaced and parallel sprocketrollers 2| which are mounted on pivotpins 22. The outer ends of the pivot pins extend through overlapping,flat, side links 23 of the character usually found in roller chains.Cotter pins 24 are providedi holes formed in the ends of the pins tohold the links in place. This portion of the chain is a usual rollerchain construction.

The inner portion of the chain ll comprises a plurality of special orsupplemental links 26, the ends of which are disposed in overlappingrelation similarly to the outer links 23 and these inner links surroundthe inner ends of the pivot pins 22. Heads 21 on the inner ends of thepins hold the links in place.

Each inner link 26 is formed with an upper and a lower verticallyextending flat projection 28, this upper and lower part forming avertical, elongated side member 29 for the link. The side members of allinner links of each chain thus form a double thickness, longitudinalwall for the chain. Each side member is tilted or inclned rearwardly ata slight angle as best shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5 so that the prongs l2which are carried by the links will be in proper position to support thesheets.

Adjacent the upper and lower edges of the projections 23 the link sidemembers 29 merge into inwardly extending ears 32. These ears 32 supportthe prongs l2 by means of transversely spaced oppositely disposedupright supporting legs 34 which are formed as a part of the prongs.There are two of these supporting legs on each prong and they arelocated one on each side of the prong. The legs fit into the links 26 ofeach of the two conveyer chains II. For this latter purpose the upperear 32 of each link is formed with a slot 36 (Figs. 2 and 5) into whichthe prong supporting legs fit and the lower ear 32 is formed with a hole31 into which the lower end of the legs are anchored.

Each upper ear 32 of a link 26 is formed along one side with a laterallyprojecting long lug 4| which extends upwardly in a substantiallyperpendicular position where it is in engagement with the prongsupporting leg 34 of the next adjacent preceding link 26. Each upper earis also formed along its opposite side with a laterally projecting shorthook lug 42 which normally engages against the long lug 4| of the nextadjacent following link 26.

Hence when the conveyer chains are traveling along a straight line pathof travel, as when carrying sheets through the oven,,the links in theupper runs of the chains are interlocked against each other and thusform a rigid chain which will not bend or sag. It is this interlockingof the link lugs 41, 42 which constitutes the no-sag feature. However,when the links pass around a spocket they pivot on their connecting pins22 and the lugs of each link move out of engagement with the lugs of theneighboring links and thus unlock the chain so that it is free to travelin a curved line around the sprocket.

The sheets A to be carried by the conveyer, rest in edgewise position onthe upper ears 32 of the links 26 in the upper run of the chains andthese sheets lean against the prongs 52 in the links. The prongs arethus inclined at a slight angle, as has been mentioned, to retain thesheets in engagement therewith. The lower edge of each sheet A isdisposed adjacent the base of an upwardly extending long lug ll and sucha lug thus forms a locating stop for the sheet. This locating stopprevents the lower edge of the sheet from sliding away from the prongthereby preventing the sheet from bowing or flexing. Furthermoreflt isthis stop that prevents the sheet from moving or working up and downagainst the prong and thus prevents marring of the coating on the sheet.

The prongs l2 are formed to support the leaning sheets over as great anarea as possible. To insure the prongs being of as light weight aspossible they are preferably made of stiff wire rods. The supportinglegs are preferably made of two or these wire rods, an outer rod 44 andan inner rod 25 which are located side by side and are welded togetherto form a unitary structure. It is these two rods that fit into the slot36 in an upper ear 32 of the link 26. Both rods extend down through theupper ears but the inner rod 45 is shorter and rests on the lower ear32. The outer rod being longer, extends through the hole 31 in this ear.A cotter pin t! in the end of the outer rod M where it extends below thelower ear, retains the prongs in place. However, the prongs may bereadily pulled out when desired by removing the cotter pins and liftingthe prongs out of the ears 32 of the chain links 26.

In order to cover more fully the area of a sheet A, the inner rods 45adjacent their upper ends are bent inwardly in a section 5| on bothsides to form an angular brace, as shown. in Fig. 4. Each rod sectionthen extends downwardly in a center brace section 52 these two centralsections being disposed in abutting engagement. Each center sectionthereupon extends outwardly as a section 53 into abutting engagementwith the straight side rod part 45 initially mentioned, this beingadjacent the conveyer chain.

The engaged center braces 52 are preferably welded together and theangular braces 53 at the sides are welded to the rods The angular bracesections 53 below their points of weld merge into an integral connectingcross bar 56 which ties together the two side rods 35. These prongsections 45, 5|, 52, 53, 5 of the single piece of material provide theinner or center portion of the prong i2.

On each side of this central portion of the prong are laterallyextending wing portions 55. Such wing sections are preferably formedintegrally with the outer leg rods 36. Now analyzing the individualparts that go into the construction of each lateral wing 56, each legrod. M is Welded to the adjacent inner side rod 55 and above the weldextends outwardly in horizontal section 5'! and thence upwardly in avertical section 58. At the top this vertical section 58 merges into ahorizontal section 53 which extends inwardly into vertical alignmentwith the initial leg rod M and thence upwardly in a short verticalsection 6! which is welded to the upper end of the inner leg rod 5 onthat The two short sections 6! are joined by a horizontally disposedtie-bar portion 62 which extends across and constitutes the upperportion or" the coposite prong l2.

time is light in Weight.

It is thought that the invention and many of derstoocl fi'cin tages, theform hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A conveyer comprising spaced chains having side links, supplementallinks adjacent corresponding side links and pins connecting said links,rigidly cross braced prongs on said supplemental links and extendingfrom one chain to the other for supporting sheet material resting onedge on said supplemental links, outwardly and laterally extending wingsections on said prongs adapted to engage and support marginal edges ofsaid sheets, and means on said supplemental links for restraining thesheets from shifting away from said prongs, said restraining means,prongs and wing sections thus supporting said sheets to preventbuckling, flexing and rubbing of said sheets on said prongs and linksduring movement of the conveyer.

21. A conveyer comprising spaced chains hav ing side links, supplementallinks adjacent corresponding side links and pins connecting said links,said supplemental links having laterally extending spaced aperturedears, prongs removably retained in the apertures of said ears forsupporting coated sheets of material resting on edge on said ears, andan upwardly inclined lug formed on an ear of each of said supplementallinks for restraining the supporting edge of a sheet from shifting awayfrom its prong so that the sheet will be prevented from rubbing againstthe prong, said lugs engaging against the prongs in adjacent links tostiffen the prongs and to hold them against vibration while allowingeasy r moval when desired.

3. A conveyer comprising a pair of spaced endless chains having sidelinks on the outside of said chains supplemental links on the inside ofsaid chains and pivot pins connecting said links, ears projectinginwardly from the supplemental links of each of said chains, prongsretained in said ears for supporting coated sheets of material on edge,and a pair of oppositely disposed lugs formed on each of said ears onelug of each said pair being adapted to engage against and support a saidprong in a next adjacent link, and each lug of a said pair being adaptedto engage against a lug on an ear of the next adjacent supplementallinks for holding said prongs against vibration and for maintaining saidchains rigid against sagging while operating along a straight line pathof travel and allowing said links to pivot on their connecting pinswhile operating through a curved path of travel.

4. A conveyer comprising a pair of spaced endless chains havingconventional side links on the outside of said chains, supplementallinks on the inside of said chains and pivot pins connecting said links,ears projecting inwardly from the sup plemental links of each of saidchains, prongs retained in said ears for supporting coated sheets ofmaterial on edge, a long upwardly inclined lug formed on each of saidears for restraining the supporting edge of a sheet from shifting awayfrom its prong so that the sheet will be prevented from rubbing againstthe prong, and a short hook shaped lug formed opposite said long lug oneach of said ears for engaging against the long lug on an adjacent earto lock the supplemental links against turning on their pivot pins whenthe links are traveling along the upper runs of the chains to maintainthe chains rigid against sagging.

5. A conveyer comprising spaced parallel chains having side links,supplemental links disposed adjacent corresponding side links and pinsconnecting said links, prongs carried on said supplemental links andextending from one chain to the other for supporting sheet materialresting on each of said supplemental links, and a plurality of upwardlyinclined lugs disposed on said supplemental links, a said lug beingadapted to engage and to support a said prong of an adjacentsupplemental link and another of said lugs engaging another adjoiningsupplemental link to hold said chains in a rigid, non-sagging position,thereby restraining the supported edge of a sheet from shifting awayfrom its prong, to prevent buckling, flexing and cupping of the sheet.

JULIUS MELZER.

